Cybercrime: Nigeria court sentence two Chinese directors to 92 years for prison

Di Federal High Court for Lagos on Wednesday convict and sentence two Chinese nationals wey be directors of Genting International Co. Limited, Huang Haoyu, dem also call am Ken, and An Hongxu, to 46 years each for di part wey dem play for multi-billion-naira cybercrime and money laundering matter.

Justice Daniel Osiagor, wey deliver di judgment, give di convicts option to pay N56m fine. Di judge also order dem to do three days community service and tok say dem go repatriate dem go China after dem don serve dia sentence and finish di community service.

Di two men na among 792 people wey di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission catch for Lagos for December 2024 wey dem suspect dey do Internet and cryptocurrency fraud.

But di third defendant, Audu Friday, plead not guilty, im own go still stand trial.

For Wednesday proceedings, defence lawyer, Bridget Omateno, tell di court say Huang and An don change dia mind, dem no wan plead not guilty again, dem wan plead guilty.

"Di first and third defendants don decide to change dia plea. We beg di court make dem read di charges to dem again," she tok.

Even dough no plea bargain happen, di court grant di request. After dem read di seven-count charge again, Huang and An plead guilty, but Friday still talk say im not guilty.

Di EFCC prosecutor, Bilkisu Bala-Buhari, tell di court say make dem convict di two men based on dia confession.

"Di prosecution don call two witnesses before dis change of plea," she tok, and she add say count one and two carry life imprisonment, while count three and four carry 14 years.

"I dey beg my lord make im give di convicts di maximum sentence so dat e go serve as deterrent to public," she add.

For im ruling, Justice Osiagor convict di two men and sentence each of dem to total 46 years imprisonment, with option to pay N56m fine.

"Di convicts go do three days community service and dem go repatriate dem go dia country after dem don serve dia sentence and finish di community service," di judge order.

Di court also grant di prosecution request make dem seize all di assets wey dem recover during investigation.